Cloth pleater



J. M. TERRY 2,863,592 CLOTH PLEATER Filed Nov. 21, 1957 JACK M. 7522) B Arrozm United States Patent CLOTH PLEATER Jack M. Terry, Grand Canyon, Ariz.

Application November 21, 1957, Serial No. 697,914

2 Claims. (Cl. 223-33) This invention pertains to improvements in cloth pleaters and is particularly directed to an improved and simplified easy to use pleating device especially adapted to the pleating of skirts, squaw dresses and the like.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a cloth pleater which is simple and easy to use and produces a highly eflicient result.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved cloth pleater which may be manipulated while sitting at a table.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved cloth pleating device which may be placed flat on a table surface and the entire pleating operation accomplished while in a horizontal position of the unit while the operator sits on a chair at the table.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved cloth pleater which is rectangular and flat in construction for easy storage, light weight and ease of handling in putting the device into or out of operation.

Further features and advantages of this invention will appear from a detailed description of the drawings in which:

Fig. l is a general perspective view showing the device ready for operation on the table top.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a general perspective view showing the ap' paratus in use.

As exemplary of one embodiment of this invention there is shown a cloth pleater comprising a U-shaped frame 10 having the transverse member 11 and the side members 12 and 13 formed integral therewith. A clip bar 14 is rigidly secured by suitable bolts 15 across the under sides of the side members 12 and 13 and spaced from the transverse member 11 for easy application of suitable clip devices such as clothes pins 16 or the like.

An outer guide rod 17 and an inner guide rod 18 are fixed by suitable riveting or other equipment means at 19 to the side members 12 and 13. A series of flat laterally spaced parallel pleating slats 20 have holes 21 and 22 loosely received on the guide rods 17 and 18 so that they may have relative axial movement on these rods 17 and 18. It will be noted that the hole 21 of the slats 20 is more closely to the lower edge 23 of the slats 20 than to the upper edge 24 thereof so that at the inner end 25 the bottom edges 23 of the slats 20 are above the table surface 26 while the holes 22 at the outer end 27 is substantially centrally located relative to the lower edge 23 and the upper edge 24 of the slat so that the bottom edge 23 at the outer end 27 is substantially in contact with the table surface 26. It will be further noted that spacing collars 28 are provided on the inner Patented Dec. 9, 1958 ice '. guide rod 18, between. the-slats-20 as shown inFig. 4;

these spacing collars 28 being preferably made of elastic or rubber materials to permit a certain degree of tilting of the slats 20 relative to the axis of the inner guide rod 18. The lower ends of the slats 20 are free, so far as their relative axial or lateral movement is concerned on the outer guard rod 17 as best shown in Fig. 5.

In operation the device is placed preferably upon a table top 26 resting on the bottom surface 29 of the clip bar 14 and on the outer ends 30 of the side members 12 and 13. The dress or skirt is then folded double, preferably in damp condition, and its waistband 31 clipped to the clip bar 14 by suitable means such as clothes pins 16. The skirt is then folded down the side seams and starting at one of the seams such as the left hand seam 32, the double folded skirt is then progressively inserted at 33, 34, 35, etc. between the pleating slats 20 beginning at the inner end 25 of the slats adjacent inner guide rod 18 and working downwardly to the end of the skirt 36 which is arranged to fall short of the outer guide rod 17 with the lower edge 36 of the skirt having its folds engaging the table surface 26 in the area 37 indicated in Fig. 3 so as to automatically limit the exact depth of the fold and provide uniformity of pleating during the successive folding operations between the slats 20. This entire operation is continued until the skirt has been completely pleated in this manner, there being sufficient slats to take care of even the largest diameter or widest skirt commonly in use. The skirt is then allowed to dry in pleated position and as soon as the moisture content has substantially removed itself therefrom, the dress may be peeled out from the various slats to complete the pleating operations as stated. The clothes pins 16 are then removed and the skirt is ready to be worn.

While the apparatus herein disclosed and described constitutes a preferred form of the invention, it is also to be understood that the apparatus is capable of mechanical alteration without departing from the spirit of the invention and that such mechanical arrangement and commercial adaptation as fall within the scope of the appendant claims are intended to be included herein.

Having thus fully set forth and described this invention what is claimed and desired to be obtained by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A cloth pleater adapted for use on a table top having a table surface, said pleater comprising a U- shaped frame having a transverse member and integral laterally spaced side members, a clip bar extending laterally between and secured to said side members and spaced from said transverse member to provide means to support the waist band of a skirt to be pleated, an outer guide rod extending laterally between and secured to the outer ends of said side members, an inner guide rod extending laterally between and secured to the side members intermediate said outer guide rod and said clip bar, a series of flat laterally spaced parallel pleating slats having clearance holes formed in each end thereof slidingly and tiltingly mounted on said outer and inner guide rods, spacing collar means slidably mounted on said inner guide rod and located between each of said slats to provide means for initially spacing the inner ends of said slats, said slats being so arranged that a folded double skirt with its waist band secured to said clip bar may be progressively inserted between said slats beginning at the inner end of said slats and working toward the outer ends thereof with the pleats of said skirt toward the lower edge thereof engaging the table surface during the pleating operation.

2. In a cloth pleater as set forth in claim 1 wherein the clearance holes in the inner ends of said slats are moved closely located to the lower edges of said slats 7 3 I 4 than to the upper edge thereof so that the inner ends References Cited in the file of this patent of the bOtP-OHI edges of said slats are above the table UNITED STATES PATENTS surface while the outer ends of the bottom edges of said slats are substantially in contact with the table surface 691,241 Chambers 1902 to limit the de'pth-of'pl eat the slcirt being operated 5 2,714,478 Mccusker 1955 upon. 

